Judges mulling cell phone ban in Alamance County courthouses

GRAHAM — Following the lead of nearby court districts, Alamance County judges are considering banning cellphones and electronics from courthouses.

Cellphone use is already banned inside courtrooms. Stricter rules would mean people couldn’t enter the Alamance County Criminal Courts Building, the historic courthouse or the civil court annex with a cellphone in a purse or pocket — even if it was turned off.

Last month, Guilford County judges banned cellphones, laptops, tablets and other electronic devices from courthouses. Last year, Rockingham County judges instituted a similar ban.

Alamance County Chief District Court Judge Jim Roberson said that cellphones have become a hindrance to the court. Bailiffs notify the public each session to turn their phones off, but people still leave them on to ring out loud or try to send text messages on them.

“Rare is the day we don’t confiscate someone’s cellphone for the day,” Roberson said. “People just disregard (the rule). It seems as if they feel that, ‘If they don’t catch me, it doesn’t mean “no usage.”’”

NOW, CELLPHONES are being used in threatening ways in court. Though it hasn’t happened here, in Guilford County, courtroom spectators were caught photographing jurors and witnesses in what appeared to be an effort to intimidate them, Roberson said.

“I realize that people can take all the photos they want outside the courthouse. But in the courtroom, there should be a different environment,” Roberson said.

Stun guns are also now being manufactured to be disguised as cellphones, posing a safety threat to those inside the courthouse. One was confiscated last year at the entrance to the criminal courts building, Roberson said.

Roberson said he and Rob Johnson, Alamance County senior resident Superior Court judge, still need to discuss how any courthousewide ban would work.

Johnson believes that cellphones are more of a disruption in District Court, but he’s had concerns about them in Superior Court. Johnson said Wednesday that he and Roberson hadn’t met yet to discuss the issue.

“If Judge Roberson feels it’s necessary to ban them, then I support him in that,” Johnson said.

ROBERSON IS waiting to see how the bans work in other counties and is reviewing their policies, as well as a policy in Illinois.

In Guilford County, the ban on “all cellphones and other Internet-capable electronic devices with photographic capabilities” went into effect Feb. 3. Some groups are exempted from the ban: Guilford County employees, those displaying a judge’s written permission, law enforcement, probation and parole officers, individuals reporting for jury summonses, and judges or government officials entering for official court business.

The results of that ban have caused some headaches there. According to the Greensboro News and Record, people are often told to leave their cellphones in their cars. That’s not an option for people on public transportation.

Page 2 of 2 - Roberson knows a similar ban here would be an inconvenience for some of the public, especially those just visiting the clerk’s or district attorney’s offices. He also knows that people getting rides to the courthouse wouldn’t be able to leave their phones in their cars, or return to their cars to store their phones if turned away at the entrance.

Roberson expected that any ban also would come with a list of parties exempted. He and Johnson would determine that list.

“We’re just at the discussion stage, but it’s obvious the frustration we’re feeling is being felt by other courts across the state and the nation,” Roberson said. “We want to at least take a look at it and make a decision one way or the other.”